Shloka 16
गोदावरीतटे सीतान्वेषणम्
The Search for Sītā at the Godāvarī
तांस्तु दृष्ट्वा नरव्याघ्रो राघवः प्रत्युवाच ह।।।।क्व सीतेति निरीक्षन्वै बाष्पसंरुद्धया दृशा।
tāṃs tu dṛṣṭvā naravyāghro rāghavaḥ pratyuvāca ha | kva sīteti nirīkṣan vai bāṣpasaṃruddhayā dṛśā ||
ครั้นเห็นพวกมันแล้ว ราฆวะ—พยัคฆ์ท่ามกลางมนุษย์—ก็เอ่ยถาม พลางเพ่งมองด้วยดวงตาที่น้ำตาเอ่อท่วม: “สีดาอยู่ที่ใด?”
With his vision blurred by tears, Rama, the best among men, looked at them and asked them 'Where is Sita'?
FAQs
Dharma is compassionate urgency grounded in truth: even in tears, Rāma seeks factual direction—‘where’—so that right action can follow.
Rāma directly questions the deer, believing they may indicate the route of Sītā’s abduction.
Tenderness without weakness—Rāma’s tears coexist with leadership and decisive inquiry.